Petition

Draft wording for a petition. Far too long. What does anyone think?

Quote:We the undersigned believe that after the 9pm watershed adults should be free to make their own viewing choices.

1/ After 9pm encrypted television channels with age verification should be permitted to show any BBFC certificate 18 content and its equivalent regardless of genre, broadcaster motivation or context. The BBFC makes no such distinction and Ofcom should not either. (Context is used occasionally by the BBFC to exceptionally justify content that goes beyond the normal 18 boundaries).

Encryption provides protection against viewing by children who may still be up after the watershed while respecting adults rights to age appropriate content, particularly in the majority of households that do not have children.

In 6 years of operation Ofcom has provided no rational basis for subjecting sexual content to tighter rules than any other including violence, swearing and blasphemy. According to Ofcoms own research the F word and the C word are the most offensive, yet the F word is routinely used in comedy (Lee Evans and others) and the C word is used in film and occasionally in comedy (Charlie Brooker, 10 o’clock live and others). The strongest swear words are permitted by Ofcom. When broadcast by the BBC during the day they attract no more than a mild rebuke.

2/ After 10pm free-to-air adult channels should be permitted to broadcast any cert 18 equivalent content subject to adequate labelling and the ability to block them.
Sexual content on specifically sex themed channels has attracted an extremely small number of complaints over the years. The majority of these have been from competitors. Others have been from campaigners who have deliberately sought out late night material that offends them. The “serious or widespread offence” that Ofcom routinely cites simply does not exist.

Ofcom have consistently failed to provide any evidence that sexual content is any more harmful to children or causes more outrage than Rome, The Killing, Big Brother, Dexter, Silent Witness, South Park, Jackass, cage fighting, womens boxing or free-to-view films such as Saw, Hostel, Auditor, Antichrist or Team America.
According to Ofcoms 2010 Media Tracker Survey 8 times more people were offended by Reality TV (78 people) and adult content (9 people out of 399). The public were more offended by game shows (11), talent shows (16) general entertainment (67) soaps (104) and drama (127) than adult content. Even the News was rated more offensive (20). (Table 60).

Ofcom has singled out adult content for draconian conditions and sanctions despite a very low complaint rate and no basis for regarding it as more offensive or harmful than other content.

3/ After midnight all channels should be permitted to broadcast any cert 18 equivalent content subject to adequate labelling. At this time of night adults should be free to make their own informed choices. Any children still viewing television have more serious issues. The present rules prevent even brief adult content in satire, humour and drama unless a clear dramatic justification can be shown. Authors simply write as they see fit, they do not provide lengthy explanations.

4/ After midnight encrypted television channels with age verification should be permitted to show any BBFC certificate R18 content and its equivalent regardless of genre, broadcaster motivation or context. At this time of night adults should be free to make their own informed choices. R18 is legal in the UK.

(15-08-2011 02:50 )eccles Wrote:  4/ After midnight encrypted television channels with age verification should be permitted to show any BBFC certificate R18 content and its equivalent regardless of genre, broadcaster motivation or context. At this time of night adults should be free to make their own informed choices. R18 is legal in the UK.

With regard to number 4.. how would a broadcaster know that a DVD they have in their possession given an R-18 classification can be legally broadcast if "R18 standard" was to be allowed? i.e. in the past it was given R-18 but would now be cut?

I agree Ill put my name to it

Well done. Just let me know where to sign.

Likewise, me too.

And as for being far too long.. no way. The reasoning is there, justifications. If anything, i would suggest (alot?) more of this - we need to cite Ofcom's every "reason" they come up with and then counter it accordingly, which you have done well. This way, there is no room for movement should Ofcom try to "wriggle" out/around the very points we are unhappy with them about.

I would def sign this it's logical and not just the usual ranting rubbish we usually see on here. set it up lol don't we need 100 000 signitures though for it to be debated in parliment?

I will also add my name to it, does it have to your real name or your babechannel forum user name, as the only people that know me as Scottishbloke are those on this forum

count me in

I'm in! With the power of social networking this could get the 100,000 signatures needed I reckon.

IF you are looking to add more content, might be worth mentioning other comedians also, Frankie Boyle was well publicised and criticised for language yet was free to go on air. Even that film with Mel Gibson about Jesus, that I believe is the highest ever complained about on TV.

Good work though, well written piece!

Me too